Image forming apparatus

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type includes: a sheet discharge port for discharging a sheet to an intra-body space; a movable tray on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guided section guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port; and a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured to guide the guided section of the movable tray such that the movable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from:U.S. provisional application 61/150,273, filed on Feb. 5, 2009; and U.S.provisional application 61/178,376, filed on May 14, 2009, the entirecontents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This specification relates to a technique for increasing apaper-dischargeable space in an image forming apparatus of a so-calledintra-body paper discharge type.

BACKGROUND

In the past, there is known a technique for, in an image formingapparatus of a so-called intra-body paper discharge type, switching atray as a discharge destination according to processing content such ascopying, printing, and facsimile and stacking sheets discharged from asheet discharge port provided in the body of the image forming apparatusand sheets discharged from a sheet discharge port of a finishingapparatus mounted in the body of the image forming apparatus.

However, it is difficult to arrange plural trays in a narrow space inthe body of the image forming apparatus. There are many restrictions interms of space in arranging the plural trays. Even if the plural trayscan be arranged, since spaces among the plural trays are small, it isdifficult to take out sheets discharged onto the trays.

SUMMARY

In order to solve the problem, this specification relates to an imageforming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type including: asheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-bodyspace; a movable tray on which the sheet discharged from the sheetdischarge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guided sectionguided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet dischargeport; and a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheetdischarging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewallsforming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured toguide the guided section of the movable tray such that the movable traycan move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet dischargedfrom the sheet discharge port and a retracted position for allowing thesheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floorsurface of the intra-body space.

In order to solve the problem, this specification relates to an imageforming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type including: asheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-bodyspace; first and second movable trays on which the sheet discharged fromthe sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable trays having guidedsections guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheetdischarge port; and a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to asheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port amongsidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section beingconfigured to guide the guided sections of the first and second movabletrays such that, when one of the first and second movable trays islocated in a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged fromthe sheet discharge port, the other can be located in a retractedposition for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge portto drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the schematic configuration of an imageforming apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a movable tray201 in the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the movable tray201 in the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the movable tray201 in the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the movable tray 201 located in a retractedposition;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the movable tray 201 located in another retractedposition;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the schematic configuration of an imageforming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 8 is a front view of the schematic configuration of the imageforming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention are explained below with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

First, a first embodiment of the present invention is explained.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the schematic configuration of an imageforming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment.

The image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of theinvention is an image forming apparatus of a so-called “intra-body paperdischarge type” in which a paper discharge space (see an intra-bodyspace 6 shown in FIG. 1) is provided near the center of an apparatusmain body.

The image forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes animage reading unit R including an ADF (Auto Document Feeder), an imageforming unit P, sheet feeding cassettes 31 to 34, a finishing unit F, amovable tray 201, a CPU 801, a memory 802, and a HDD (Hard Disk Drive)803. Sheets S as recording media are stored in the sheet feedingcassettes 31 to 34.

The image reading unit R has a function of reading an image of anoriginal document.

The image forming unit P applies, on the basis of, for example, imagedata read from an original document by the image reading unit R or imagedata received from the outside of the apparatus, image formationprocessing to recording media such as sheets fed from the sheet feedingcassettes 31 to 34.

The sheets having images formed thereon as explained above are sent tothe finishing unit F arranged in the intra-body space 6. The sheets sentto the finishing unit F are discharged from a discharge port Fh of thefinishing unit F into the intra-body space 6 by a discharge roller 701in a state in which the sheets are subjected to “finishing” such asfolding, stapling, punching, or bookbinding or a state in which theimages are only formed thereon.

The movable tray 201 is arranged in the intra-body space 6 of the imageforming apparatus 1. The sheets discharged from the discharge port Fh ofthe finishing unit F are stacked on the movable tray 201.

The CPU 801 has a role of performing various kinds of processing in theimage forming apparatus and also has a role of realizing variousfunctions of the image forming apparatus by executing a computer programstored in the memory 802. The memory 802 can include a RAM (RandomAccess Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a DRAM (Dynamic Random AccessMemory), a SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), or a VRAM (Video RAM).The memory 802 has a role of storing various kinds of information andcomputer programs used in the image forming apparatus.

FIGS. 2 to 4 are diagrams for explaining the configuration of themovable tray 201 in the first embodiment of the invention.

The movable tray 201 includes a motor 201 m, a tray section 201 t, adrop preventing section 201 w, a guided section 201 s, a gear 201 g, anda sheet guide section 201 h.

The movable tray 201 includes the guided section 201 s and the gear 201g on a side thereof.

A guide section 602 having an annular guide surface for guiding theguided section 201 s of the movable tray 201 is formed on a sidewall 6 sparallel to a sheet discharging direction from a sheet discharge port Fhamong sidewalls forming the intra-body space 6.

Consequently, the movable tray 201 is movable between a “receivingposition” (see FIG. 1) for receiving a sheet discharged from the sheetdischarge port Fh and a “retracted position” (see FIG. 5) for allowingthe sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh to drop to a floorsurface 601 b of the intra-body space 6.

The gear 201 g projecting from the side of the movable tray 201 isdriven to rotate by the motor 201 m provided in the movable tray 201.When a rack rail 603 annularly formed in the sidewall 6 s and the gear201 g driven to rotate by the motor 201 m mesh with each other, themovable tray 201 is moved in a direction in which the guide section 602extends. The driving control for the motor 201 m is performed by, forexample, the CPU 801.

In this way, the movable tray 201 is movable from the “receivingposition” to the “retracted position” while being guided by the guidesection 602 in a state in which the sheets S are stacked thereon.

The sheets discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh can be stacked onthe tray section 201 t. The drop preventing section 201 w regulates asheet end to prevent a drop and misalignment of the sheets stacked onthe tray section 201 t.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the movable tray 201 located in the retractedposition.

The sheet guide section 201 h is provided in a position where the sheetsS discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh come into contact with themovable tray 201 when the movable tray 201 is located in the “retractedposition”. The sheet guide 201 h can guide the sheets S downward (guidethe sheets S to the floor surface 601 b of the intra-body space 6).

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the movable tray 201 located in another retractedposition.

The movable tray 201 is also movable to, for example, a position wherethe tray 201 t projects from a side of the image forming apparatus whilebeing guided by the guide section 602. By retracting the movable tray201 to such a position, it is possible to improve operability for, forexample, taking out the sheets stacked on the movable tray 201.

The CPU 801 moves the movable tray 201 to the “receiving position” whenthe image formation processing is executed in the image formingapparatus 1 or when the finishing is executed in the finishing unit F.

For example, when an amount of the sheets S stacked on the movable tray201 is full, when a discharge destination of the sheets S is changed, orwhen a job ends, the CPU 801 moves the movable tray 201 from the“receiving position” to the “retracted position” while keeping thesheets S stacked on the movable tray 201. Thereafter, the CPU 801discharges sheets onto the floor surface 601 b of the intra-body space 6(see FIGS. 5 and 6).

As determination of a sheet stacking amount in the movable tray 201, forexample, the CPU 801 may count the number of sheets discharged onto themovable tray 201 or a sensor for detecting the number of sheets may beprovided in the movable tray 201 and the CPU 801 may determine the sheetstacking amount on the basis of an output of the sensor.

With the configuration explained above, the movable tray 201 is arrangedin the limited space of the intra-body space 6. Therefore, it ispossible to increase the number of stackable sheets in the intra-bodyspace 6.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the present invention is explained below.

The second embodiment of the invention is a modification of the firstembodiment. Components having functions same as those explained in thefirst embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and signsand explanation of the components is omitted in this embodiment.

In this embodiment, two movable trays 201 and 202 are guided by theguide section 602 and movable in the intra-body space 6 of an imageforming apparatus 1′.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the schematic configuration of the imageforming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

The movable tray 202 (a second movable tray) includes a motor 202 m, atray section 202 t, a drop preventing section 202 w, a guided section202 s, a gear 202 g, and a sheet guide section 202 h.

The motor 202 m, the tray section 202 t, the drop preventing section 202w, the guided section 202 s, the gear 202 g, and the sheet guide section202 h are configured the same as the motor 201 m, the tray section 201t, the drop preventing section 201 w, the guided section 201 s, the gear201 g, and the sheet guide section 201 h in the movable tray 201 (afirst movable tray).

The guide section 602 guides the guided sections 201 s and 202 s offirst and second movable trays such that, when one of the first movabletray 201 and the second movable tray 202 is located in a “receivingposition” for receiving sheets discharged from the sheet discharge portFh, the other can be located in a “retracted position” for allowing thesheets discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh to drop to the floorsurface 601 b of the intra-body space 6 (see FIG. 7).

When the sheets S stacked on the movable trays 201 and 202 are full orwhen a user desires to change a paper discharge destination, the motor201 m is driven to move the movable trays 201 and 202 along a tray guiderail.

The sheets discharged from the sheet discharge port Fh can be dischargedto a new paper discharge destination in the body through a space formedbetween the finishing unit F and the movable tray 201 while being guideddownward from the movable tray 201 by a sheet conveyance guide member.Therefore, it is possible to increase the number of stackable sheets.

The movable trays 201 and 202 stop in a place slightly projecting from aside of an image forming apparatus main body. Therefore, it is easy totake out sheet bundles discharged onto the movable trays 201 and 202.

The guide section 602 guides the guided sections 201 s and 202 s of thefirst movable tray 201 and the second movable tray 202 to move both thefirst movable tray 201 and the second movable tray 202 to the “retractedposition” for allowing the sheets discharged from the sheet dischargeport Fh to drop to the floor surface 601 b of the intra-body space 6(see FIG. 8).

The guide section 602 is formed to prevent a first guide surface forguiding the guided section 201 s of the first movable tray 201 and asecond guide surface for guiding the guided section 202 s of the secondmovable tray 202 from crossing each other. Specifically, the first guidesurface and the second guide surface are realized by, for example, guidesurfaces having different depths formed with respect to the surface ofthe sidewall 6 s.

In the examples explained in the embodiments, the sheet discharge portfor discharging sheets onto the movable tray(s) is the sheet dischargeport of the finishing apparatus arranged in the body. However, thefinishing apparatus is not always necessary. For example, the sheets maybe directly discharged onto the movable tray(s) from a sheet dischargeport provided in the body of the image forming apparatus.

The operations in the processing in the image forming apparatus arerealized by causing the CPU 801 to execute a movable tray controlprogram stored in the memory 802.

A computer program for causing a computer included in the image formingapparatus to execute the operations explained above can be provided. Inthe embodiments, the computer program for realizing a function ofcarrying out the invention is stored in advance in a storage areaprovided in the apparatus. However, the present invention is not limitedto this. The same computer program may be downloaded from a network tothe apparatus. The same computer program stored in a computer-readablerecording medium may be installed in the apparatus. A form of therecording medium may be any form as long as the recording medium is arecording medium that can store the computer program and can be read bythe computer. Specifically, examples of the recording medium includeinternal storage devices internally mounted in the computer such as aROM and a RAM, portable storage media such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk,a DVD disk, a magneto-optical disk, and an IC card, a database thatstores a computer program, other computers and databases therefor, and atransmission medium on a line. A function obtained by installation ordownload in advance in this way may be realized in cooperation with anOS (operating system) or the like in the apparatus.

The computer program may be an execution module that is dynamicallygenerated partially or entirely.

The present invention can be carried out in various forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or the main characteristic thereof. Therefore,the embodiments is only an illustration in every aspect and should notbe limitedly interpreted. The scope of the present invention isindicated by the scope of claims and is by no means limited by the textof the specification. Further, all modifications and variousimprovements, substitutions, and alterations belonging to the scope ofequivalents of the scope of claims are within the scope of the presentinvention.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possibleto provide a technique for increasing a paper-dischargeable space in animage forming apparatus of a so-called intra-body paper discharge type.

1. An image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge typecomprising: a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to anintra-body space; a movable tray on which the sheet discharged from thesheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guidedsection guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheetdischarge port; and a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to asheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port amongsidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section beingconfigured to guide the guided section of the movable tray such that themovable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving thesheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted positionfor allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to dropto a floor surface of the intra-body space.
 2. The apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the movable tray projects from a side of the imageforming apparatus in the retracted position.
 3. The apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the movable tray is movable from the receivingposition to the retracted position while being guided by the guidesection in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon.
 4. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the movable tray has, in a position wherethe sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port comes into contactwith the movable tray when the movable tray is located in the retractedposition, a sheet guide section configured to guide the sheet downward.5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes,in the intra-body space, a finishing apparatus configured to be capableof executing predetermined finishing, and the sheet discharge port is asheet discharge port of the finishing apparatus.
 6. An image formingapparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type comprising: a sheetdischarge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space;first and second movable trays on which the sheet discharged from thesheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable trays having guidedsections guided when moving with respect to the sheet discharge port;and a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheetdischarging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewallsforming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured toguide the guided sections of the first and second movable trays suchthat, when one of the first and second movable trays is located in areceiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheetdischarge port, the other can be located in a retracted position forallowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to afloor surface of the intra-body space.
 7. The apparatus according toclaim 6, wherein the guide section guides the guided sections of thefirst and second movable trays to move both the first and second movabletrays to the retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged fromthe sheet discharge port to drop to the floor surface of the intra-bodyspace.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first andsecond movable trays have, in positions where the sheet discharged fromthe sheet discharge port comes into contact with the movable trays whenthe movable trays are located in the retracted position, sheet guidesections configured to guide the sheet downward.
 9. The apparatusaccording to claim 6, wherein the first and second movable trays aremovable from the receiving position to the retracted position whilebeing guided by the guide section in a state in which sheets are stackedthereon.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatusincludes, in the intra-body space, a finishing apparatus configured tobe capable of executing predetermined finishing, and the sheet dischargeport is a sheet discharge port of the finishing apparatus.
 11. Theapparatus according to claim 6, wherein the guide section is formed toprevent a first guide surface for guiding the guided section of thefirst movable tray and a second guide surface for guiding the guidedsection of the second movable tray from crossing each other.
 12. Adriving method of a movable tray in an image forming apparatus of anintra-body paper discharge type including a sheet discharge portconfigured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space, and the movabletray on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can bestacked, the movable tray having a guided section guided when themovable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port, the methodcomprising: guiding the guided section of the movable tray such that themovable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving thesheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted positionfor allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to dropto a floor surface of the intra-body space by a guide section providedon a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheetdischarge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space.
 13. Themethod in an image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein themovable tray projects from a side of the image forming apparatus in theretracted position.
 14. The method in an image forming apparatusaccording to claim 12, wherein the movable tray is movable from thereceiving position to the retracted position while being guided by theguide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon.
 15. Adriving method of movable trays in an image forming apparatus of anintra-body paper discharge type including a sheet discharge portconfigured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space, and first andsecond movable trays on which the sheet discharged from the sheetdischarge port can be stacked, the movable trays having guided sectionsguided when moving with respect to the sheet discharge port, the methodcomprising: guiding the guided sections of the first and second movabletrays such that, when one of the first and second movable trays islocated in a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged fromthe sheet discharge port, the other can be located in a retractedposition for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge portto drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space by a guide sectionprovided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction fromthe sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space.16. The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 15,wherein the guide section guides the guided sections of the first andsecond movable trays to move both the first and second movable trays tothe retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheetdischarge port to drop to the floor surface of the intra-body space. 17.The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, whereinthe first and second movable trays have, in positions where the sheetdischarged from the sheet discharge port comes into contact with themovable trays when the movable trays are located in the retractedposition, sheet guide sections configured to guide the sheet downward.18. The method in an image forming apparatus according to claim 15,wherein the first and second movable trays are movable from thereceiving position to the retracted position while being guided by theguide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon.
 19. Themethod in an image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein theapparatus includes, in the intra-body space, a finishing apparatusconfigured to be capable of executing predetermined finishing, and thesheet discharge port is a sheet discharge port of the finishingapparatus.
 20. The method in an image forming apparatus according toclaim 15, wherein the guide section is formed to prevent a first guidesurface for guiding the guided section of the first movable tray and asecond guide surface for guiding the guided section of the secondmovable tray from crossing each other.